Gear mechanism for cotton-gin feeders.



T. S. GRIMES. GEAR MECHANISM FOR COTTON GIN PEEDBRS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 16, 1909.

. v 1. 6 Am m @H 6 G 9H m M m NW Y J u Um Z wn 7 7 l 8 m 7 m T. s. GRIM ES. GEAR MECHANISM FOR COTTON GIN FEEDERS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 16, 1909.

978,877. Patented Dec. 20, 1910 2 BHEETS-SHEET 2.

w; tuna o W V M 6mm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. THADDEUS S. GRTMES, OF GOLUMBT J'S, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR TO F. H. LUMMUS SONS COM- PANY, A CORPORATION OF GEORGIA.

GEAR MECHANISM FOR COTTON-GIN FEEDEBS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 20, 1910.

- Application filed February 16, 1909. Serial No. 478,230.

hereby declare the following to'b'e a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to feed mechanism for cotton gins, and more particularly to means for regulating the'feed.

The invention consists in the novel construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a cotton gin feederand part of a cotton gin, the same having connect.-

ed therewith a gear mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is -an enlarged detail fragmentary view disclosing the translating mechanism for ad- 'usting theposition o the pinion for Verymg the speed of the machine. detail fragmentary sectional view approximately on line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view partly in section taken approximately on line 4--4 of Fig.2 with the translating rack in position for enga mg its retaining support. Fig. 5 is a mentary sectional view taken approximate y on line 5--5' of Fig.2. "Fig. 6- is a longitudinal sectional View through the translating rack. Fig. 7 shows detail views of a special collar to which is attached a I'CCIPIIO- eating rod connected to thegin breast. Fig. 8 shows detail views of a guide bracket attached to the gin breast.

Referrmg in a framework or housing 6 which is provided with a handle 7 for easy mani ulationj The housing 6 is rigidl connecte with a rack 8 that is provide with an aperture Fig. 3 isa' I'll - passes through a supporting to the accompanying drawin s, 1 indicatesa cotton gin feeder of any epassing therethrough for accommodating shaft 5 and permitting it to rotate freely therein. The rack 8 is mounted to reciprocate upon shaft 5 in order to translate housing 6 and pinion 4 whenever desired. The rack 8 is engaged by a pivotally mounted lever 9 that'is pivotally mounted at 10 to the gin feeder and is locked against movement by a latch 11 near the opposite end. A

gripping member or handle 12 is provided for-easy movement of the lever. .The latch 11 may be operated for holding the rack 8 outward from gear 3 sufficiently far to revent pinion-4 from-meshing with the teeth thereof, or the same may be locked in such position as to hold pinion 4 in mesh with gear 3. This will permit a proper reciprocation of pinion 4 in order that the same may be brought into engagement with any series ofgear teeth on gear 3.

worm wheel 13which-is arranged to mesh with a worm 14'which in turn is rigidly secured to a power shaft 15. Shaft 5 extends beyond gear wheel 13 and is journaled in a bearing 16 which in turn is supported b a bracket or supporting *member '17. he

bracket or supporting member 17 will perfl mit a free reci rocation 'of the sleeve or projection 18 o bearm 16 sufficiently for disengaging the gear w eel 13' from worm 14, but is not adapted tofbe moved beyond support 17. IConnected with projection 20. of sleeve 19 is-a reciprocatin rod 21 that Eracket 22 securedto the hinge rail 23 of the gin breast. 24. Adjusting nuts 25 are inter osed on rod 21 in order to vary the length t ereof as occasion may require. Also a spring 26 is provided which bears against bracket 22 and against an ad'us'ting nut 27 that is mounted 'on rod 21. T is springis-designed to yieldingly hold the gear wheel 13 in engagement with worm 14. By the adjusting of nut 27 the pressure used in'holdi-n'g-gear wheel 13 into engagement fwith-"worm' 14 may be varied as occasion may-require. By this construction and arrangement-a. changeable eed gearing is provided for regulating t e rate of speed of the-gin feeder, and also improved means are associated with the driving gear fonthe gin feeder which starts and stops the feeding of cotton automatically with the raising and lowering of the g'n breast. When the breast is'raised rod 1 v. Shaft 5 has rig dly secured thereto a moves the lower end of shaft 5 upwardly causing gear 13 carried thereby to be thrown out of engagement with worm 14, thus stopping the revolution of gear 3 and also stopping the revolution of the roll of the feeder carried by the shaft on which gear 3 is mounted. A. chute itlfor conveying the cotton from the feeder to the roll box occupies a portion of the space between the edge 41 of the frame of the feeder and the top 42 of the gin proper. This chute 40 is pivoted at .3 and swings upon its pivot when the gin breast is raised. \Vhen the breast is lowered the rod 21 tends to return to the position shown in Fig. 1 and gear 13 reengages worm 14 at the earliest period possible without damage to the gear teeth, the worm being rotated continuously while gear 13 is disengaged therefrom. The action of spring 26 permits the engagement of gear 13 with worm 14 without injury thereto by inducing or yieldingly forcing the return of gear 13 into engagement with the worm. It will thus be noted that the feed rolls may have their speed varied as occasion may require, and when the cotton is not being properly fed the feeder may be entirely stopped by throwing pinion 4 out of mesh with disk gear 3 or by raising the gin breast 2% for inspection or other purposes. Whenever it is desired to vary the speed of the fed roller operated through the medium of gear 3, latch 11 is moved upon its pivot point 28 until pin 29 has moved out into passage way 30 and then lever 9 moved upon its pivot 10 for moving pinion 4 out of engagement with gear 3. Rack 8 being disengaged pinion 4 can now be shifted from one series of teeth of gear 3 to another series by moving frame 6 connected with said rack and operated by lever 7. After the pin 29 has been moved to the extreme end of passage way 80 latch 11 is again moved until the pin is in engagement with recess 31 where it locks lever 9 againstmovement in an outer position and locks pinion 4 out of engagement with gear 3. The pinion 4 may then be reciprocat-cd upon its shaft 5 until the pinion is opposite any of the concentrically arranged sets of gear teeth on gear 3, the teeth of rack 8 passing through notch 8 as the rack and pinion are shifted longitudinally along the shaft. Latch 11 may then be moved so as to permit. lever 9 to be swung inwardly and con-. sequeutly move pinion 1 into engagement with gear wheel 3. Latch 11 then is moved to the position shown in Fig." 4.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, a shaft arranged to carry a gin feeding roll,

a wheel having a plurality of series of teeth mounted on the shaft, a second shaft arranged transversely of the shaft first men tioned, a pinion slidable on the second shaft and arranged to engage the teeth of one of the aforesaid series, and means for shifting the pinion 01.- the second shaft, such means comprising a member carried by the shaft last mentioned and provided with notches on a portion of its outer surface and an enlarged portion connected with the member aforesaid and'inclosing the pinion, an operating arm secured to the enlarged portion, and a pivoted arm provided with an aperture for receiving the "notched member, the edge of theaperture engaging the notches, and a device for holding the pivoted arm in a given position.

2. In adevice of the class described, a shaft arranged to carry a gin feedin roll, a wheel having a plurality of series 0 teeth mounted on the shaft, a second shaft arranged transversely of the shaft first mentioned, a pinion slidable on the second shaft and arranged to engage the teeth of one of the aforesaid series, and means for shifting the pinion on the second shaft, such means comprising a member carried by the shaft last mentioned and provided with notches on a portion of its outer surface and an enlarged portion connected with the member aforesaid and inelosing the pinion, an operating arm secured to the enlarged portion, and a pivoted arm provided with an aperture for receiving the notched memher, the edge of the aperture engaging the notches, a projection on the pivoted arm, and a catch provided with a U-shaped opening arranged to engage the projection and hold the pivoted arm in a position for retaining the notched member, the shaft and pinion, so that the latter will be held against the wheel first mentioned and at t mes out of contact therewith. v

In a device of the class described, the combination with a gin feeder, of gear mechanism for driving sucli' feeder, a rotating shaft connected to said gear mechanism for moving the same, a gear connected withsaid'shaft, a worm adapted to mesh with such gear for driving the latter and said shaft, a bearing member for supporting one end of said shaft, a bracket provided with an aperture for supporting the bearing member, such bearing member comprising an enlarged portion provided with a bearing, a shank portion arranged to partly rotate in the apertured bracket and having a limited amount of play therein in a directionat an angle to the direction of rotation, and a securing device on the inner end of the shank portion.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THADDEUS S. GRIME S.

Witnesses:

E. F. M RRAY, C. C. HARTIENCE. 

